NSE7_SSE_AD-25 Fortinet NSE 7 - FortiSASE 25 Enterprise Administrator Questions and Answers

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is the FortiSASE feature that ensures least-privileged user access to all applications. ZTNA operates on the principle of "never trust, always verify," providing secure access based on the identity of users and devices, regardless of their location.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA):

ZTNA ensures that only authenticated and authorized users and devices can access applications.

It applies the principle of least privilege by granting access only to the resources required by the user, minimizing the potential for unauthorized access.

Implementation:

ZTNA continuously verifies user and device trustworthiness and enforces granular access control policies.

This approach enhances security by reducing the attack surface and limiting lateral movement within the network.

The Network Lockdown feature in FortiSASE is a specialized security control designed to ensure that managed endpoints remain protected by the SASE security stack at all times.

Mechanism of Action: Network lockdown relies specifically on the connection status of the tunnel to FortiSASE. When this feature is enabled in the Endpoint Profile, the FortiClient agent monitors whether the secure VPN tunnel (SSL or IPsec) to a FortiSASE Point of Presence (PoP) is active.

Enforcement Logic: If the agent detects that the tunnel is disconnected, it immediately places the endpoint's network interface into a "locked" state. In this state, all inbound and outbound network traffic is blocked, with the exception of traffic required to re-establish the connection to the FortiSASE infrastructure.

Purpose: This prevents "leakage" where an endpoint might communicate directly with the internet without inspection if the VPN tunnel drops or is manually disabled by the user. It essentially mandates that the device is either connected to FortiSASE or has no network access at all.

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

Option A and B: While malware and vulnerabilities affect the security posture, they trigger different remediation actions (like quarantine or patching) rather than the "Network Lockdown" tunnel-state feature.

Option D: ZTNA tags identify the security posture to allow or deny access to specific applications, whereas Network Lockdown is a binary state (On/Off) affecting all network traffic based purely on tunnel connectivity.

According to the NSE7 SASE Enterprise Guide (Pages 46 & 61), deploying Secure Private Access (SPA) with SD-WAN provides advanced security and networking capabilities by routing traffic through global Points of Presence (PoPs).

Inline Security Inspection (D): A major advantage of this approach is that traffic is routed through FortiSASE PoPs before it reaches private applications. This enables inline security inspection, providing robust protection against threats by applying the full SASE security stack—including antivirus, intrusion prevention, and deep packet inspection—to private access traffic.

Support for TCP and UDP (B): Organizations with existing FortiGate SD-WAN deployments benefit from broader and seamless access to privately hosted applications. The SD-WAN SPA use case explicitly supports both TCP- and UDP-based applications, ensuring that legacy or specialized services that rely on UDP function correctly over the secure tunnel.

SD-WAN Optimization: This method leverages the benefits of SD-WAN to optimize traffic flow between the SASE PoP and the corporate SD-WAN hub or data center FortiGate. It is particularly useful for mission-critical applications that require an extra layer of security combined with path optimization.

Architecture: In this configuration, the FortiSASE Security PoPs act as spokes in the organization’s SD-WAN network, relying on IPsec VPN overlays and BGP for secure dynamic routing.

While ZTNA posture checks are a feature of the broader ecosystem, the NSE7 Guide specifically highlights inline inspection and application support (TCP/UDP) as primary advantages of the SD-WAN integrated SPA approach.

In a FortiSASE deployment, the Secure Private Access (SPA) use case is specifically designed to provide remote users with secure, high-performance connectivity to internal corporate applications hosted in private data centers or public clouds.5 This is achieved through two primary architectural methods:

SD-WAN Integration (A): FortiSASE integrates natively with existing Fortinet Secure SD-WAN networks.6 In this architecture, the FortiSASE global PoPs act as spokes that establish automated IPsec tunnels to the organization’s FortiGate SD-WAN hubs. This allows the platform to use intelligent application steering and dynamic routing to find the shortest, most efficient path to private resources, ensuring a superior user experience.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) (B): FortiSASE provides Universal ZTNA to enforce granular, per-session access control.7 Unlike traditional VPNs that grant broad network access, ZTNA verifies the user's identity and the endpoint's security posture (via ZTNA tags) before every application session. This ensures that users only have access to the specific corporate applications they are authorized to use, significantly reducing the attack surface.

Analysis of Other Options: * Thin Edge (C) is a connectivity method used to secure branch offices and micro-branches (typically using FortiExtender), rather than a specific feature for facilitating private corporate application access for individual remote users.

CASB (D) is used for Secure SaaS Access (SSA) to provide visibility and control over third-party cloud applications like Office 365, rather than private applications hosted on-premises.

The exhibit indicates that the URL https://www.bbc.com/ is being blocked due to containing a banned word ("fight"). To allow access to this specific URL, you need to adjust the URL filter settings on FortiSASE.

URL Filtering:

URL filtering allows administrators to define policies that block or allow access to specific URLs or URL patterns.

In this case, the URL filter is set to block any URL containing the word "fight."

Modifying URL Filter:

Navigate to the Web Filter configuration in FortiSASE.

Locate the URL filter settings.

Add an exception for the URL https://www.bbc.com/ to allow access, even if it contains a banned word.

Alternatively, remove or adjust the banned word list to exclude the word "fight" if it's not critical to the security policy.

In the Fortinet SASE architecture, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) tags (which have been renamed to Security Posture Tags starting with FortiClient/EMS 7.4.0) play a critical role in continuous posture assessment. These tags are dynamic metadata assign8ed to an endpoint based on specific conditions or "tagging rules" defined in the FortiSASE Endpoint Management Service (EMS).

Posture Determination: The FortiClient agent, installed on the endpoint, monitors the device for various security attributes—such as whether an antivirus is running, the presence of specific registry keys, OS version, or the absence of critical vulnerabilities.

SIA (Secure Internet Access) Use Case: In SIA scenarios, FortiSASE uses these tags within security policies to control internet access. For example, a policy may allow full internet access only to endpoints tagged as "Compliant" while redirecting "Non-Compliant" devices to a restricted remediation portal.

SPA (Secure Private Access) Use Case: In SPA (specifically ZTNA Proxy mode), the tags are synchronized from FortiSASE to the corporate FortiGate (acting as the ZTNA Access Proxy).12 When a user attempts to access a private application, the FortiGate checks the endpoint's client certificate and its synchronized ZTNA tags.13 If the endpoint does not meet the required posture (e.g., it is missing a required "Domain-Joined" tag), access is denied at the session level.

According to the FortiSASE 25 Enterprise Administrator Study Guide, ZTNA tags are fundamental to the "Zero Trust" principle because they move beyond static identity (username/password) to verify the real-time security state of the device before granting access to either the internet or internal private resources.

In FortiSASE Secure Private Access (SPA) deployments, establishing a stable connection between the FortiSASE PoPs and the corporate FortiGate hub relies on two primary layers: the IPsec Tunnel and the BGP Peering.

Exhibit Analysis: The exhibit (image_577e17.jpg) shows the status of several Security PoPs (Singapore, Tokyo, Frankfurt, and San Jose) connected to an "FGT-Hub".

Tunnel Status vs. BGP Status: For all listed PoPs, the Health Check IP Status and Tunnel status are both shown with a green "Up" icon. This confirms that the underlying IPsec connectivity and the physical path between the SASE cloud and the hub are functioning correctly.

Identifying the Failure: The BGP Peering State is reported as Active. In BGP terminology, the "Active" state specifically indicates that the router is attempting to initiate a TCP connection with its peer but has not yet received a response. A fully functional and successful BGP connection must reach the Established state.

Root Cause Determination: Since the tunnel is up (eliminating Gateway or Authentication Method issues as the primary suspects) but the BGP state remains stuck in "Active," the most likely cause is a mismatch or misconfiguration in the BGP Peer IP or BGP neighbor settings. This prevents the exchange of routing information necessary for users to access private applications.

To resolve the connectivity problem, the administrator must ensure that the BGP neighbor IPs configured on the FortiGate hub match those assigned by the FortiSASE orchestration and that firewall policies on the hub allow BGP traffic (TCP port 179) across the tunnel.

When deploying FortiSASE agent-based clients, several features are available that are not typically available with an agentless solution. These features enhance the security and management capabilities for endpoints.

Vulnerability Scan:

Agent-based clients can perform vulnerability scans on endpoints to identify and remediate security weaknesses.

This proactive approach helps to ensure that endpoints are secure and compliant with security policies.

SSL Inspection:

Agent-based clients can perform SSL inspection to decrypt and inspect encrypted traffic for threats.

This feature is critical for detecting malicious activities hidden within SSL/TLS encrypted traffic.

Web Filter:

Web filtering is a key feature available with agent-based clients, allowing administrators to control and monitor web access.

This feature helps enforce acceptable use policies and protect users from web-based threats.

The VPN tunnel between the FortiSASE spoke and the FortiGate hub is not establishing due to the configuration of mode config, which is not supported by FortiSASE spoke devices. Mode config is used to assign IP addresses to VPN clients dynamically, but this feature is not applicable to FortiSASE spokes.

Mode Config in IPsec:

The configuration snippet shows that mode config is enabled in the IPsec phase 1 settings.

Mode config is typically used for VPN clients to dynamically receive an IP address from the VPN server, but it is not suitable for site-to-site VPN configurations involving FortiSASE spokes.

Configuration Adjustment:

To establish the VPN tunnel, you need to disable mode config in the IPsec phase 1 settings.

This adjustment will allow the FortiSASE spoke to properly establish the VPN tunnel with the FortiGate hub.

Steps to Disable Mode Config:

Access the VPN configuration on the FortiSASE spoke.

Edit the IPsec phase 1 settings to disable mode config.

Ensure other settings such as pre-shared key, remote gateway, and BGP configurations are correct and consistent with the FortiGate hub.

The reason for the ping failures is due to the quick mode selectors restricting the subnet. Quick mode selectors define the IP ranges and protocols that are allowed through the VPN tunnel, and if they are not configured correctly, traffic to certain subnets can be blocked.

Quick Mode Selectors:

Quick mode selectors specify the source and destination subnets that are allowed to communicate through the VPN tunnel.

If the selectors do not include the subnet of the webserver (192.168.10.0/24), then the traffic will be restricted, and the ping will fail.

Diagnostic Output:

The diagnostic output shows the VPN configuration details, but it is important to check the quick mode selectors to ensure that the necessary subnets are included.

If the quick mode selectors are too restrictive, they will prevent traffic to and from the specified subnets.

Configuration Check:

Verify the quick mode selectors on both the FortiSASE and FortiGate hub to ensure they match and include the subnet of the webserver.

Adjust the selectors to allow the necessary subnets for successful communication.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) private access provides the most efficient and secure method for remote users to access a TCP-based application hosted on a private web server. ZTNA ensures that only authenticated and authorized users can access specific applications based on predefined policies, enhancing security and access control.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA):

ZTNA operates on the principle of "never trust, always verify," continuously verifying user identity and device security posture before granting access.

It provides secure and granular access to specific applications, ensuring that remote users can securely access the TCP-based application hosted on the private web server.

Secure and Efficient Access:

ZTNA private access allows remote users to connect directly to the application without needing a full VPN tunnel, reducing latency and improving performance.

It ensures that only authorized users can access the application, providing robust security controls.

In a default FortiSASE deployment, endpoints are typically onboarded using a shared invitation code sent via email. While this code simplifies deployment, it can represent a security risk if the code is leaked or intercepted, as any device with the code could potentially register with the SASE management service.

User Verification (SAML SSO): To mitigate this risk, administrators can enable user verification as an additional layer of security.3 When this feature is enforced, entering the invitation code is no longer sufficient to complete registration.

Authentication Workflow: After the end user enters the invitation code in FortiClient, they are prompted to provide their corporate credentials via a SAML SSO login.5 FortiSASE acts as the Service Provider (SP), while an external identity provider (IdP) such as Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, or FortiAuthenticator verifies the user's identity.

Security Benefit: This ensures that only authenticated users—not just anyone with a valid code—can successfully register an endpoint and receive the organization's security and VPN profiles. It prevents unauthorized "shadow" endpoints from joining the managed environment.

Incorrect Options:

Option A: Security posture tags are used after registration to determine if an endpoint is compliant (e.g., checking if an antivirus is active); they do not secure the registration process itself.

Option C and D: Device identification and application inventory are monitoring and visibility features that occur once the endpoint is already managed.

Refer to the exhibit. Based on the configuration shown in image_595357.jpg, FortiSASE will process sessions requiring FortiSandbox inspection in the following two ways:

A. Only endpoints assigned a profile for sandbox detection will be processed by the sandbox feature.

C. All files executed on a USB drive will be sent to FortiSandbox for analysis.

Answer: A, C

The provided exhibit displays an Endpoint Profile configuration specifically for the Sandbox module. This profile controls how the FortiClient agent on remote endpoints interacts with the integrated FortiSASE cloud sandbox engine.

Profile Assignment (A): In the FortiSASE architecture, security and endpoint settings are organized into profiles that must be explicitly assigned to users or user groups via endpoint policies. Consequently, the sandbox detection and remediation features are active only on those endpoints that have been assigned this specific endpoint profile. If an endpoint is not assigned a profile with sandbox enabled, it will not submit files for analysis.

Removable Media Analysis (C): Under the File Submission Options, the toggle for All Files Executed from Removable Media is enabled (shown in blue). Since USB drives are the most common form of removable media, this configuration ensures that any file executed from a USB drive is intercepted by FortiClient and submitted to the FortiSASE sandbox for behavioral analysis before being allowed to run, protecting the endpoint from offline-delivered threats.

Understanding Verdict Levels (B): The exhibit shows the Action is set to Quarantine and the Sandbox Detection Verdict Level is set to Medium. This configuration functions as a threshold; FortiClient will quarantine any file that receives a verdict of Medium or higher (including High and Malicious). Option B is incorrect because it claims only medium-level files are quarantined, which ignores the high-risk and malicious files that would also be blocked.

Sandbox Mode (D): The Sandbox Mode is clearly set to FortiSASE, which utilizes the built-in cloud-native sandbox. This contradicts Option D, which suggests the use of an on-premises or standalone sandbox appliance.

FortiSASE brings the following advantages to businesses with multiple branch offices:

Centralized Management for Simplified Administration:

FortiSASE provides a centralized management platform that allows administrators to manage security policies, configurations, and monitoring from a single interface.

This simplifies the administration and reduces the complexity of managing multiple branch offices.

Eliminates the Need for On-Premises Firewalls:

FortiSASE enables secure access to the internet and cloud applications without requiring dedicated on-premises firewalls at each branch office.

This reduces hardware costs and simplifies network architecture, as security functions are handled by the cloud-based FortiSASE solution.

The exhibit (image_595357.jpg) illustrates the Sandbox configuration tab within a FortiSASE Endpoint Profile. This profile dictates how the managed FortiClient agent handles suspicious files and interacts with the sandbox service.

Profile-Based Enforcement: In the FortiSASE architecture, security features are not applied globally by default; they are enabled through specific profiles assigned to endpoints. Therefore, the sandbox inspection and remediation logic will only be active for endpoints that have been assigned a profile where the Sandbox feature is enabled.

Removable Media Protection: Under the File Submission Options in the exhibit, the setting All Files Executed from Removable Media is toggled on. This ensures that any file executed from a USB drive or other external storage is sent to the FortiSandbox for analysis before being permitted to run on the endpoint.

Sandbox Mode: The Sandbox Mode is set to FortiSASE, indicating that files are sent to the integrated cloud-native sandbox rather than an on-premises appliance. This makes Option A incorrect.

Quarantine Threshold: The Remediation Actions show that the Action is set to Quarantine for files meeting the Sandbox Detection Verdict Level of Medium. This acts as a minimum threshold; FortiClient will quarantine files identified as Medium, High, or Malicious. Option B is incorrect because it implies only medium-level files are quarantined, whereas higher-risk levels would also be blocked.

To configure a Secure Private Access (SPA) solution to share endpoint information between FortiSASE and a corporate FortiGate, you need to take the following steps:

Add the FortiGate IP address in the secure private access configuration on FortiSASE:

This step allows FortiSASE to recognize and establish a connection with the corporate FortiGate.

Use the FortiClient EMS cloud connector on the corporate FortiGate to connect to FortiSASE:

The EMS (Endpoint Management Server) cloud connector facilitates the integration between FortiClient endpoints and FortiSASE, enabling seamless sharing of endpoint information.

Register FortiGate and FortiSASE under the same FortiCloud account:

By registering both FortiGate and FortiSASE under the same FortiCloud account, you ensure centralized management and synchronization of configurations and policies.

FortiSASE supports zero trust network access (ZTNA) principles by identifying attributes on the endpoint for security posture checks. ZTNA principles require continuous verification of user and device credentials, as well as their security posture, before granting access to network resources.

Security Posture Check:

FortiSASE can evaluate the security posture of endpoints by checking for compliance with security policies, such as antivirus status, patch levels, and configuration settings.

This ensures that only compliant and secure devices are granted access to the network.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA):

ZTNA is based on the principle of "never trust, always verify," which requires continuous assessment of user and device trustworthiness.

FortiSASE plays a crucial role in implementing ZTNA by performing these security posture checks and enforcing access control policies.

During FortiSASE provisioning, the FortiSASE administrator needs to configure at least one security point of presence (PoP). A single PoP is sufficient to get started with FortiSASE, providing the necessary security services and connectivity for users.

Security Point of Presence (PoP):

A PoP is a strategically located data center that provides security services such as secure web gateway, firewall, and VPN termination.

Configuring at least one PoP ensures that users can connect to FortiSASE and benefit from its security features.

Scalability:

While only one PoP is required to start, additional PoPs can be added as needed to enhance redundancy, load balancing, and performance.

The distinction between SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) and SSE (Security Service Edge) is a fundamental architectural concept in modern networking and security.

SASE Definition: SASE is a comprehensive framework that converges networking capabilities (specifically SD-WAN) with cloud-native security services (SSE) into a single, unified service model.

SSE Definition: SSE represents the security-focused subset of SASE.4 It encompasses the core security pillars required for secure access, including Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).

The Key Differentiator: While both solutions share the same security stack (SWG, CASB, ZTNA), SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) is the specific networking component that exists in a full SASE solution to provide intelligent path selection and optimized connectivity. SSE intentionally excludes these wide-area networking functions, focusing purely on the security service delivery layer.

According to the FortiSASE 25 Enterprise Administrator Study Guide, organizations that already have a robust networking infrastructure and only require a cloud-delivered security overlay would opt for SSE, whereas those seeking a complete transformation of both network and security would deploy a full SASE solution that includes SD-WAN.

There are two deployment methods used to connect a FortiExtender as a FortiSASE LAN extension:

Connect FortiExtender to FortiSASE using FortiZTP:

FortiZero Touch Provisioning (FortiZTP) simplifies the deployment process by allowing FortiExtender to automatically connect and configure itself with FortiSASE.

This method requires minimal manual configuration, making it efficient for large-scale deployments.

Enter the FortiSASE domain name in the FortiExtender GUI as a static discovery server:

Manually configuring the FortiSASE domain name in the FortiExtender GUI allows the extender to discover and connect to the FortiSASE infrastructure.

This static discovery method ensures that FortiExtender can establish a connection with FortiSASE using the provided domain name.

Integrating Fortinet SOCaaS (Security Operations Center as a Service) with FortiSASE provides a managed extension of your security team, combining automated AI/ML-driven triage with human expertise to secure remote and on-premises users.

Consistent Security Monitoring and Dashboards (C): Fortinet SOCaaS ensures that your security posture remains robust through seamless integration. This is achieved by configuring FortiSASE to forward pertinent security logs to the SOCaaS cloud, ensuring that analysts have the necessary data to detect anomalies across your network. The service provides verified threat notifications with detailed response guidance and mitigation recommendations. Furthermore, a built-in portal offers intuitive dashboards to track threats and manage escalated alerts.

24x7x365 Expert-Led Monitoring (D): This feature addresses the cybersecurity skills gap by providing around-the-clock vigilance. A global team of Fortinet Security Analysts works 24x7x365 to monitor logs and investigate events. The platform leverages AI and Machine Learning for automated alert triage, while human experts perform in-depth analysis to eliminate false positives and validate threats.

Operational Efficiency: By offloading tedious manual work and triage to Fortinet experts, your internal security team can reduce burnout and focus on higher-value tasks while maintaining a superior security posture for both SASE and on-premises environments.

In the user connection monitor, the random characters shown for the username indicate that log anonymization is enabled. Log anonymization is a feature that hides the actual user information in the logs for privacy and security reasons. To display proper user information, you need to disable log anonymization.

Log Anonymization:

When log anonymization is turned on, the actual usernames are replaced with random characters to protect user privacy.

This feature can be beneficial in certain environments but can cause issues when detailed user monitoring is required.

Disabling Log Anonymization:

Navigate to the FortiSASE settings.

Locate the log settings section.

Disable the log anonymization feature to ensure that actual usernames are displayed in the logs and user connection monitors.